Kalikho Pul makes claim for CM seat: No Supreme Court relief for Arunachal Congress

NEW DELHI: The Arunachal Congress on Monday complained to the Supreme Court that a move was afoot to withdraw President’s Rule in the state and allow a group led by dissident Congress MLA Kalikho Pul to stake claim to form a government along with the Opposition BJP and sought court intervention to stall any such move, but got no relief for now.

Lead counsel for the Congress, senior advocate Fali S Nariman, accused the Governor of trying to overreach the Constitution bench, which is hearing a clutch of petitions on the validity of 14 rebel MLAs’ disqualification, by recommending that President’s Rule be withdrawn in the state to allow another government to take over.

"We have our own apprehension, they are trying to form a new government," Nariman told the bench in the morning but the court said it wouldn’t deal with any such oral prayer. Ousted Speaker Nabam Rebia filed an application soon after drawing the court’s attention to the fast-moving political developments in the state.

"They have already set up a mandapam and all arrangements have been made to swear in a new Chief Minister," Sibal told the bench. "This is a serious breach," Kapil Sibal said. Rebia dubbed any move by the Governor to install Pul as CM as "a blatant attempt to overreach this court thereby making a mockery of not only the democratic principles but also the judicial process".

"That such actions of the respondent (Governor) and Union Government would only corroborate the contention… that all what has been done till now, and which is assailed in the proceedings, has been done with the sole objective of toppling a democratically-elected government…."

When a Constitution bench is hearing the case "it would only be appropriate for a party to not to attempt to alter status quo sans court nod, Rebia argued. "… to the contrary there has been repeated attempts… to overreach this court and alter the status quo with a view either to make these matters infructuous or present a fait accompli…."

The bench, however, did not address for now his plea for intervention after a short discussion among themselves.